Beck Depression Inventory Short Form Research Articles

Signal detection analysis of recognition memory in depressed elderly

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of late-life depression to memory complaint and objective performance in a recognition memory task. Fifty-seven individuals between the ages of 58 and 88 were evaluated for depression using the Beck Depression Inventory (short form). They were then shown two stimulus lists, each consisting of high-imagery and low-imagery words. Recognition for these words was subsequently tested. Error rates and nonparametric signal detection measures were analyzed as indices of performance. Respondents gave global self-assessments of memory and, during the recognition task, also made self-ratings of performance. Depressed individuals showed more conservative response biases than nondepressed respondents, reflected in a higher false-negative error rate but a lower false-positive rate. Neither overall memory sensitivity as assessed by signal detection analysis nor self-ratings of performance were related to depression, though global memory self-ratings were. Elderly depressed individuals thus presented a pattern of greater memory complaint and unwillingness to venture responses in spite of showing small or no information-processing deficits.

Changes in symptoms of depression during the course of therapy

Questions concerning the qualitative and quantitative nature of symptom change were investigated within the context of a large outcome study which compared three versions of a self-control therapy program for depression. Weekly short-form Beck Depression Inventory items were examined for patterns and rates of change for 13 symptoms of depression throughout the treatment program. Results indicated no differences due to the specific content of the therapy program. Most symptoms diminish in curvilinear fashion with the greatest change occurring in the first three to four weeks of therapy. Several symptoms, and particularly sadness and suicidal ideation, showed major decreases prior to the first therapy session. The sequential order of item changes are described.

Some general population norms for the short form Beck Depression Inventory.

Presented age and sex-specific norms for the 13-item short form of the Beck Depression Inventory, based on data collected during a general health survey (N = 1091). Females were found to score more highly than males, and an internal consistency reliability of .81 was found.

A psychometric investigation of the standard and short form Beck Depression Inventory.

The reliability, validity, and factor structure of the standard 21-item and short 13-item forms of the Beck Depression Inventory were investigated for 42 male and 143 female college students. The internal consistency reliability was .82 for the standard form and .78 for the short form. The correlation between the standard and short form was .94. Both forms also correlated significantly with scores on the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. The results support the use of the short form as a reliable and valid brief screening measure of depression.

A psychometric investigation of the standard and short form Beck Depression Inventory.

A psychometric investigation of the standard and short form Beck Depression Inventory.

A psychometric investigation of the standard and short form Beck Depression Inventory.

A psychometric investigation of the standard and short form Beck Depression Inventory.